Is Florence Worth Visiting? My Take After a Month Living There

Is Florence worth visiting? Yes, it is – but it’s not a city that works for everyone. I’ve seen people leave Florence underwhelmed or feeling like they somehow “did it wrong” – and in most cases, it comes down to how they approached it.

Florence can feel deeply impressive or quietly frustrating depending on what you expect from it. 

If you’re interested in Renaissance art, Medici history, and food, it offers an extraordinary amount in a very small space – but that same concentration can make it feel intense if you try to do too much.

If you’re choosing between Florence and somewhere like Rome or Venice, it helps to understand what makes it different. Rome gives you scale and layers across different eras. Venice is about atmosphere and visual uniqueness. 

Florence, by contrast, is far more focused on the Renaissance, and the power, politics, and cultural legacy that came out of it.

I’ve been to Florence several times, including spending a full month living there, and one thing became clear very quickly: you’re not going to see everything and trying to is where people tend to go wrong.

On my first trip, I focused on just a couple of major sights – the Uffizi and Michelangelo’s David, and both were absolutely worth it. The experience improved significantly when I stopped trying to cover everything and started choosing more carefully.

So the real question isn’t just whether Florence is worth visiting, but whether it suits how you like to travel.

It works best if you’re happy to prioritise, book a few key things in advance, and accept that you won’t see everything.

It’s less suited to a completely spontaneous, low-effort trip where you expect to arrive and figure things out as you go – especially if you want to see the main sights.

And it’s not just a city for art lovers. Even if museums aren’t your main interest, there’s still plenty to enjoy – but you’ll get more out of it if you think a little about how you spend your time.

In this guide, I’ll break that down properly – what Florence does well, where it can fall short, and how to decide if it’s the right fit for your trip.

What to consider when deciding if Florence is worth visiting

Art, culture, and just how much there is to take in

Florence’s art and cultural depth are the main reasons most people visit, and it absolutely delivers on that.

What struck me pretty quickly on my first trip, though, is that you’re going nowhere near seeing the full scope of what’s here in just a few days. 

I focused on the big ones – the Uffizi and Michelangelo’s David – and to be honest, I was very satisfied with visiting them alone on that first trip. But beyond that, I realised quite quickly that you have to let go of the idea of “seeing everything”.

I remember hitting a point on that first trip where I realised I was no longer properly taking anything in while at the Uffizi. I was moving from room to room because I felt like I should, rather than because I was actually interested. 

That was the moment it clicked for me that Florence requires that you apply a bit of a selective filter. 

That viewpoint still applied when I came back and spent a full month in Florence. I still didn’t get around to everything I wanted to see. There are just so many layers to it – museums, churches, palaces – even the smaller places can feel significant.

For me personally, I’ve never felt any pressure to see things I wasn’t actually interested in. 

I’ve always been drawn to the Renaissance, so being in Florence – the birthplace of it – feels genuinely fascinating rather than overwhelming every time I visit. I’m happy to have still more to explore every time I visit. But I can see how it could go the other way if you approach it differently.

Where people tend to struggle is when they try to do too much in a few days. If you’re forcing yourself through museums because you feel like you should, you’ll burn out quickly. But if you focus on what actually interests you, it becomes a completely different experience.

That’s also why deciding how many days to spend in Florence makes such a difference – a shorter trip needs a very different approach to a longer one.

Florence’s landmarks and why they’re so iconic

Florence’s landmarks are some of the most recognisable in the world, and in many cases, they are just as impressive in person as the images you’ll have seen online.

The Duomo, for me, is one of those rare sights that genuinely lives up to the hype. The first time you see it, it’s almost hard to process how intricate and perfectly proportioned it is – especially with Brunelleschi’s dome rising above it. 

Even after a month in Florence, I never got tired of seeing it, even though I saw it several times a day. Walking into Piazza del Duomo early in the morning, before the crowds arrive, is one of those moments that just never loses its impact for me.

But the full experience of the Duomo isn’t quite what you might expect.

Because the exterior is so spectacular – and because you see the queues wrapping around it – you naturally assume the inside is going to be equally impressive. And for me, it just wasn’t. It felt quite sparse. 

Aside from the Vasari fresco inside the dome, there isn’t actually that much to see, and I found the underground Santa Reparata – the remains of the original church – far more interesting.

There are also a few places that start to feel overrated once you’ve spent more time in the city.

The Ponte Vecchio is one of them. It’s iconic, and yes – it’s worth seeing – but actually walking across it during the day can be painful. It’s completely packed, people move slowly, and it becomes more of a bottleneck than an experience. I found it much more enjoyable early in the morning, before the goldsmiths open and before the crowds arrive.

The same goes for Mercato Centrale. 

The first time I went in, I thought it was brilliant – loads of food, lots going on – but after a few visits, especially when I was staying nearby, it started to feel a bit… empty in spirit. It’s very tourist-facing, particularly upstairs, and I’m not convinced many locals actually shop there anymore.

And then there’s the leather market around San Lorenzo, which I’d honestly skip altogether. A lot of what’s sold there isn’t even made in Italy, and it just feels like one big tourist trap.

If you want a clearer sense of what’s actually worth prioritising – beyond just the obvious landmarks – I’ve broken that down in more detail in my guide to the best things to do in Florence.

Food in Florence and what makes it so distinctive

What Florence does best

Florence is a brilliant food destination, but it’s not necessarily what people expect.

For me, it was things like pici pasta, which I ended up ordering repeatedly. There’s something about the texture – thick, slightly chewy, properly hand-rolled – that makes even simple sauces feel substantial.

You’ll often see it with boar ragù, which is rich and hearty, but I actually loved it with a more stripped-back cacio e pepe made with local pecorino, sometimes with truffle added. That combination, more than anything, is what I associate with eating in Florence.

The same goes for meat. The bistecca alla Fiorentina is genuinely exceptional – and that’s coming from me as an Irish person, where the standard of beef is already extremely high. Even the slightly lesser cuts I had were excellent, often just served simply with olive oil and pecorino.

Wine is also a huge part of the experience here, and it’s easy to underestimate just how much that adds.

Florence sits in the heart of Tuscany, so you’re drinking wines from Chianti, Montalcino, and Montepulciano almost by default. Even simple house wines in restaurants can be excellent, and if you enjoy wine at all, this is one of the easiest places in Italy to drink well without overthinking it.

What I’d seek out

Schiacciata is one thing that’s worth seeking out properly. It’s a traditional Tuscan flatbread – crisp on the outside, soft and airy inside – typically sliced and filled with high-quality local ingredients like cured meats, pecorino cheese, and truffle spreads, making it Florence’s answer to a perfectly executed sandwich rather than a standard panini.

I went back to I’ Girone De’ Ghiotti regularly during my month-long stay, and even after it gained a bit of virality on social media after that, I’m happy to report that the quality has held up after visiting again recently on a return visit to Florence.

If you want something slightly more elevated, places like Ino do a more refined, gourmet version with excellent ingredients.

And then there’s gelato – which Florence is known for – but again, not all of it is worth your time. If you see bright, piled-high displays, it’s usually a sign to walk away. The better places tend to have a smaller selection, stored in covered containers.

What I’d avoid

Where people tend to go wrong is expecting Florence to deliver everything.

You’ll see things like carbonara or pizza on menus in tourist-heavy areas, but that’s not really what you’re there for. The more you stick to traditional Tuscan dishes – ribollita, pici, ragù, game meats – the better your experience is likely to be.

There are also some very obvious tourist traps when it comes to food. I noticed this particularly around the Duomo and along the main routes from Santa Maria Novella – places that look convenient, but serve substandard meals by Tuscan standards.

On the other hand, I would skip All’Antico Vinaio entirely – it’s become so geared towards tourists that it barely resembles the experience of getting a proper local sandwich anymore. Orders are even made on kiosks in the street, à la McDonald’s fast-food style. Don’t fall into the social media trap.

One thing to be aware of: this is a meat-heavy food culture. Even visually, it’s very present – hanging in shop windows, displayed in markets – which might not suit everyone, particularly if you’re vegetarian or vegan.

Lampredotto is the local street food – a sandwich made from slow-cooked cow’s stomach – but I’ll be honest, it’s not something I’ve ever been able to bring myself to try. It’s one of those dishes where, for me, the idea alone is enough to deter me! Don’t let me put you off, though, if you’re brave enough to try it!

Florence as a base for exploring Tuscany

One thing I’d say straight away is that Florence doesn’t need Tuscany around it to be worth visiting.

Even as a standalone destination, it’s absolutely packed with things to do, especially if you’re interested in art, food, or just poking around a city that has real cultural depth. You could easily spend a few days here without leaving and still feel like you’ve had a full experience.

Where Florence really starts to punch above its weight, though, is its location.

Being in Tuscany gives you access to an incredible range of places and experiences. 

The most obvious is the wine. Chianti is right on your doorstep, and it’s very easy to get out there for a day. 

Then you’ve got places like the Val d’Orcia, which produces wines like Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the landscapes there are just as impressive as the wine itself.

Beyond that, it’s the variety of towns that makes Tuscany so special.

Places like Volterra with its Etruscan history, Vinci as the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, or Tuscany’s second city, Siena – which I think is exceptional in its own right. 

Every time I visit Siena, I regret not staying longer. It has a slightly older feel than Florence, and comes with its own distinct identity and traditions, despite being located not too far away.

What I’ve come to feel quite strongly, though, is that Tuscany doesn’t really work as a quick add-on in the way people often treat it.

Pisa tends to get picked as the default day trip, but I don’t think it’s the most rewarding use of your time, especially when you consider how much depth there is across the region. Tuscany is a collection of very different towns, landscapes, and experiences.

Even just standing on the walls of a hilltop town and looking out across the countryside gives you a completely different perspective – not just on Tuscany, but on Florence as well. It feels slower, more exposed, and far more rooted in the landscape than the city does.

If you only have a day, it’s still worth doing – but I’d be selective. A simple train trip to somewhere like Arezzo, or a well-chosen wine tour, is usually far more rewarding than trying to rush between multiple stops.

But if you have the time, Tuscany really comes into its own when you treat it as more than just a day trip – even one or two nights makes a noticeable difference.

Crowds, atmosphere, and when Florence feels at its best

Florence in the early morning

Florence, for me, was at its most enjoyable in the morning – and by that I really mean early morning, before about 9:30.

That was when the city felt most like itself. The light would still be low, the streets were quieter, and there was this brief window before the shutters fully came up, before the stalls opened, before the day-trippers arrived in force, when Florence felt calm, elegant, and almost intimate.

I used to love getting a coffee from somewhere like Ditta Artigianale or Coffee Mantra and then just walking – often back through Santa Croce, or along the Arno, or across to Santo Spirito – with no real agenda other than to enjoy that version of the city while it lasted.

Some of my favourite moments in Florence came at that time of day. Walking beside the Arno when the water was still glassy, with rowers cutting through it and making the first ripples of the morning, felt completely different to the Florence most people encounter.

You’d see actual Florentines out then too – people unlocking front doors, heading to work on bikes or scooters, picking up bread or coffee before the city shifted into tourist mode. That was the version of Florence I found most affecting, and probably the one that made me feel most connected to it.

When the city starts to feel difficult

That said, the city’s mood changes dramatically as the day goes on.

By the middle of the day, especially around the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, and those main arteries that connect one major sight to another, Florence can feel absolutely mobbed.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is people spending most of their time around the Duomo and then deciding Florence is “too busy” – when in reality, they’ve just stayed within the busiest 10% of the city.

If you don’t mind crowds, maybe that just reads as it having ‘energy’, or a ‘buzz’. But if you do mind them – or if you’re trying to move through the city with any sense of ease – it can become very frustrating, very quickly. By midday, I actively avoided moving through the centre unless I had to.

There’s a point where the beauty of the setting is still there, but your experience of it is being shaped more by the sheer number of people than by the place itself.

Why time of day matters so much in Florence

I think that’s one of the most important things to understand about Florence: it is not one fixed experience.

It can feel graceful, atmospheric, and deeply evocative at one hour of the day, then congested and vaguely maddening a few hours later. That doesn’t make it disappointing – it just means that the time of day you’re out in it matters far more here than in some other cities.

Getting around Florence and why its walkability is such a strength

One of Florence’s biggest strengths, in my opinion, is how walkable it is.

Its compactness never felt limiting to me – quite the opposite. I think it’s one of the main reasons the city works so well. 

In a bigger city, you can end up losing a surprising amount of time and energy just figuring out where you are, how to get somewhere, whether you need public transport, or whether the place you wanted to pop into is actually worth the effort of reaching. 

Florence strips a lot of that away. You can get a good sense of the city quite quickly, and once you do, it becomes very easy to move through it intuitively.

I found that made the whole experience much more enjoyable. Rather than spending mental energy on logistics, I could actually give my attention to the city itself – the buildings, the details, the little deviations that end up becoming memorable. 

Some of the nicest moments came from deciding to go a slightly longer way because a street looked quieter or more interesting, or ducking down a side street just to see where it led.

And Florence rewards that kind of wandering. The streets themselves are lovely to walk – the cobbles, the ochre-toned buildings, the sense of age in the stone, the odd fresco, the palazzi appearing where you least expect them. 

What I didn’t expect is how quickly you start to recognise the city – not just landmarks, but routes, corners, and small details. Within a couple of days of my first visit, it stopped feeling like somewhere I was navigating and started feeling like somewhere I actually knew.

On my longer stay, the walkability made daily life feel easy.  quickly built routes, habits, and favourite corners, and the city started to feel very familiar within a short space of time.

The only real caveat is that walkability and crowding are not the same thing. Florence is easy to navigate, but that doesn’t mean it always feels easy to move through. 

In the busiest parts of the city, especially if you’re trying to cross the river via Ponte Vecchio or cut through the centre in the middle of the day, walking can become irritating rather than enjoyable. 

So I wouldn’t present Florence as effortlessly pleasant at all times – it isn’t. But its compactness still gives it a huge advantage over many other cities.

If you’d rather not piece all of that together yourself, however, following a structured plan like my 3-day Florence itinerary makes it much easier to balance the main sights with quieter moments.

Finding the “real” Florence (and how easy it is to access)

Florence is one of those cities where the idea of “authenticity” needs to be handled a bit carefully.

Because the reality is: this is a heavily visited city, and it’s very difficult to fully separate the Florence you’re experiencing from tourism. 

Even in places that are genuinely traditional – artisan workshops, bakeries, local cafés – there’s almost always some degree of catering towards visitors. That’s just the nature of a city like this that sees a huge number of tourists each year.

I think it’s important to say that upfront, because if you come expecting some untouched, purely local version of Florence, you’re probably going to be disappointed.

That said, I don’t think that means Florence lacks authenticity – it just means you have to understand what it looks like here.

For me, it showed up in moments rather than entire areas.

As I’ve mentioned before, it was in those early mornings, when you’d see people heading to work, unlocking doors, picking up bread or coffee before the tourists descended en masse.  

It was in places like Sant’Ambrogio, or the edges of Santa Croce, or over in Santo Spirito and San Frediano – where you still have tourists, but you also have everyday life happening alongside them.

One of the best examples of that balance, I think, is Piazza Santo Spirito. 

You can sit there with a drink or an aperitivo and watch both sides of the city at once – tourists enjoying the atmosphere, and locals going about their lives. I’ve seen little boys playing football there after school, people meeting friends, musicians performing…it definitely has a less staged feel.

But even then, you’re not stepping into some completely untouched local world. You’re just seeing a more balanced version of the city.

And I think that’s the key shift: instead of trying to “escape” tourism entirely, it’s more about learning how to move through it – finding little pockets, times of day and those slightly off-centre places where Florence feels a bit more grounded.

Florence’s beauty and how it compares to expectations

Florence is a beautiful city – but I don’t think it’s always the kind of beauty people expect. I’ve seen it described as a bit austere, and I can understand where that comes from. 

It doesn’t have that ornate, decorative feel you get in more baroque cities, or the kind of romantic embellishment that immediately feels “pretty” in a conventional sense. The architecture here is more restrained – it’s about proportion, structure, and balance rather than decoration.

But for me, that’s exactly where its beauty lies.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about the uniformity of Florence – the terracotta rooftops, the warm tones of the buildings, the way everything seems to sit together so cohesively. 

And then you have those moments where the skyline opens up, and you see the Duomo rising above everything, or the tower of Palazzo Vecchio cutting through it – it’s not subtle, but it’s very striking.

I especially noticed this from higher viewpoints. Looking out across the city, you really see how those major landmarks anchor everything else. 

That said, Florence doesn’t always match the postcard version people have in their heads.

A lot of those iconic views come with crowds, and once you factor that in, the atmosphere can feel quite different to what you might expect from photos. 

And even small things – like the Arno – don’t necessarily live up to that romanticised image. It’s not this sparkling, picturesque river; more often than not, it’s a kind of muted green-brown.

None of that takes away from the city’s beauty, but it does make for a slightly different image once you take the Instagram filters and carefully curated angles away. 

Things to know before visiting Florence (drawbacks, trade-offs, and practical realities)

While it’s probably clear to you at this point how exceptional I think Florence is, I’d be lying to myself (and you) if I said a visit to Florence didn’t come with its own set of drawbacks and things to be aware of. 

Be aware of the following: 

• It gets very crowded – and that will affect how you experience it.
  I found this most noticeable around the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and the main routes between sights. If you arrive expecting a calm, romantic atmosphere at all times, you’ll likely be disappointed. But if you plan around it – especially with early starts – it’s far more enjoyable.
• You need to book the main sights in advance.
  The Uffizi and Michelangelo’s David aren’t places you can reliably walk into. On multiple trips, I’ve seen people turned away or facing very long waits. If those matter to you, they need to be planned into your trip.
• Not everything that looks traditional is actually worth your time.
  I’d personally skip areas like the San Lorenzo market. A lot of what’s sold there isn’t made locally, and it feels very tourist-facing. You’ll get a much better experience by being selective about where you eat and shop.
• Driving and parking in Florence add unnecessary friction.
  If you’re arriving by car, the ZTL (restricted traffic zone) makes central access complicated, and it’s very easy to enter it by mistake. Parking is also expensive – expect to pay around €25 per day – and the one-way system can make even short distances slow and frustrating. I wouldn’t recommend driving into the city centre at all.
• The experience changes dramatically depending on the time of day.
  Early mornings were, without question, my favourite time in Florence – quieter, more atmospheric, and far more enjoyable to walk through. By midday, those same areas can feel completely different.
• Trying to do too much is where most people go wrong.
  Florence is dense rather than large. On my first trip, the experience improved significantly when I stopped trying to cover everything and started choosing more carefully.

My top tip for getting the most out of Florence

One thing I’ve noticed across multiple visits is that Florence tends to reward a slower, more selective approach.

When you’re trying to fit everything into a short window, it can feel quite pressured – moving between sights, navigating crowds, and constantly watching the clock. You end up experiencing the city at its busiest, without really enjoying it.

Where it becomes much more enjoyable is when you ease off that pace slightly. Even within a typical 2–3 day trip, building in quieter mornings, returning to areas you like, and not overloading your itinerary makes a noticeable difference.

NOTE: If you’re starting to plan your trip more fully, I’ve pulled everything together in my main Florence guide, which brings together all my detailed posts and recommendations across the city.

Who Florence is actually right for (and who it isn’t)

Florence is one of those cities where your experience will depend almost entirely on what you’re looking for.

It’s not somewhere that works equally well for every type of traveller – and I think it’s worth being quite honest about that.

If you really don’t enjoy crowds, you may find Florence frustrating. Even if you plan carefully and avoid the busiest times of day, you’ll still encounter them at some point – particularly around the main sights. That’s just the reality of how popular the city is.

It’s also not a place that rewards a completely spontaneous approach, especially if you have your heart set on seeing specific things. Major attractions like the Uffizi or Michelangelo’s David need to be booked in advance, and turning up without a plan can easily mean missing out.

And if you have little to no interest in history, art, or culture more broadly, Florence can feel quite limited. It’s not a city built around entertainment or variety in that sense – the experience here is very much tied to what the city is, rather than what it offers in terms of activities.

On the other hand, Florence is incredibly rewarding for the right kind of traveller.

If you’re someone who enjoys understanding a place – its history, its people, its cultural significance – there’s a huge amount here to engage with. The Medici story alone runs through so much of the city and adds a layer of context that makes everything more interesting once you start to recognise it.

It’s also a brilliant city if you enjoy food and the rhythm of daily life – dipping in and out of cafés, sitting in piazzas, wandering without a strict plan, but with a general sense of what you want to experience.

There’s also a strong fashion and shopping side to Florence that often gets overlooked. It’s one of Italy’s key fashion cities, with brands like Gucci and Ferragamo rooted here, and a mix of high-end, independent, vintage, and artisan shopping that’s genuinely interesting if that’s something you enjoy.

Florence at a glance: pros and cons

If you prefer a quick, side-by-side view, here’s how I think Florence stacks up:

Frequently asked questions about visiting Florence

Is Florence worth visiting for a day?

You can see a couple of major sights in a day, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you can avoid it. Florence is too dense and busy to enjoy properly at that pace. It’s much better when you have time to slow down and be selective.

Is Florence worth visiting with kids?

It can be, but it depends on how interested your children are in art, history and museums. Florence isn’t geared towards children, and many of the main sights require patience. It works best if you keep your plans flexible and visit one of its (many) smaller museums. 

Is Florence worth visiting if you’re not into art?

Yes, but you’ll need to approach it differently. Florence is heavily centred around art and history, so if that’s not your interest, focus more on food, neighbourhoods, and atmosphere rather than trying to follow a traditional sightseeing list.

Is Florence overrated?

I don’t think so, but I do think it’s easy to have a disappointing experience. Most of the frustration people feel comes from crowds or trying to do too much. If you adjust your expectations, it’s a completely different experience.

Is Florence worth visiting if you’ve already been to Italy?

Absolutely. Florence has a very distinct identity compared to other Italian cities. It developed as its own powerful city-state, and that history still shapes how it feels today. It doesn’t overlap in the way some other destinations can.

Is it worth driving into Florence?

No – I wouldn’t recommend it. The ZTL restrictions make access confusing, parking is expensive (often around €25 per day), and the one-way system makes getting around slow. It’s far easier to arrive by train and explore on foot.

So, is Florence worth visiting?

Yes – Florence is absolutely worth visiting.

But more than that, it’s worth visiting in the right way.

What became clear to me, especially after spending more time there, is that Florence isn’t a city you can approach passively. It asks a bit more of you – a bit more intention, a bit more curiosity, a bit more willingness to engage with what it actually is, rather than what you might expect it to be.

If you do that, it’s incredibly rewarding.

It’s a city where history, art, food, and daily life are all layered together in a way that feels meaningful rather than superficial – but it’s also a place where your experience can vary hugely depending on how you plan your time and what you prioritise.

If you’re at the stage of figuring out how Florence might fit into your trip, the best place to start is with a broader understanding of the city itself – how it’s laid out, how it works, and what to expect overall. 

From there, it becomes much easier to decide how long you’ll need, what’s actually worth seeing, and how to structure your time in a way that feels enjoyable rather than overwhelming.

Related reading for Florence

---

Florence Travel Tips: What I Wish I Knew Before Visiting

How to Plan a Trip to Florence: Step-by-Step Guide

Is Florence Worth Visiting? My Take After a Month Living There

4 Days in Florence: Icons, Food & Hidden Gems (Without Burnout)

Best Day Trips from Florence (and the Ones to Skip)

Best Time to Visit Florence for Weather, Crowds & Culture

Florence Duomo Complex: Tickets, What to See & What to Skip

How to Visit Michelangelo’s David In Florence (And Appreciate It)

Best Restaurants in Florence, Italy: A Regular Visitor’s Picks

Where to Stay in Florence: 12 Best Areas + Curated Hotel Picks

13 Best Food Tours in Florence: Handpicked & Highly Rated

17 Things to Do in Florence: A Curated Guide to the Renaissance City

3 Days in Florence: Itinerary, Map + Insider Tips

Ultimate 2 Days in Florence: Itinerary, Map + Top Tips

15 Best Chianti Wine Tours From Florence: My Curated Picks

---

Like this post? Please share or save for later